Site Mobile Navigation

Bush Issues Strong Endorsement of Rumsfeld in Visit to Pentagon

President Bush vigorously reiterated his support for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today while promising a "full accounting" of the abuses of prison detainees by American personnel in Iraq.

"You are courageously leading our nation in the war against terror," Mr. Bush said after meeting at the Pentagon with Mr. Rumsfeld, who stood by his side during the president's remarks. "You're doing a superb job. You are a strong secretary of defense and our nation owes you a debt of gratitude."

The president also said several investigations led by senior military officers were under way to determine responsibility in the prison abuse case, and he said an "orderly and transparent" investigative and judicial process would assure "a full accounting for the cruel and disgraceful abuse of detainees."

"One basic difference between democracies and dictatorships is that free countries confront such abuses openly and directly," he said.

Mr. Bush's statements, bundled with a generally positive assessment of American progress in Iraq, seemed intended to dispel speculation about whether he would compel Mr. Rumsfeld to resign, as well as to restore confidence at home and abroad in the administration's handling of the scandal and to lift morale among the troops in Iraq.

In the face of almost daily attacks on American forces in Iraq, Mr. Bush said, "We're on the offensive against the killers and terrorists in that country, and we will stay on the offensive."

He said the United States military was maintaining pressure "on Saddam loyalists and foreign fighters and other militants" in Falluja, and that in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, an illegal militia was being dismantled. At the same time, the president added, "We're helping to build Iraqi forces that can take responsibility for security."

The president's meeting with Mr. Rumsfeld was scheduled before the scandal erupted late last month, but it acquired new significance in recent days.

Mr. Bush asserted last week that he wanted Mr. Rumsfeld to remain in his cabinet, but revelations in the widening investigation have been accompanied by calls from some top lawmakers and editorial pages that Mr. Rumsfeld consider resigning as part of an effort to salvage American credibility in Iraq and the Arab world at large.

Senator Joseph Biden, Democrat of Delaware, said today that Mr. Rumsfeld should resign but that the administration's task was much greater than deciding whether the secretary should stay or go.

An error has occurred. Please try again later.

You are already subscribed to this email.

"This is so much bigger than Secretary Rumsfeld," Mr. Biden said today on the CBS "Early Show" program. "There seems to be more concern about political damage control than international damage control. I want to see the president do some swift and positive action here." He added, "I want to see him demonstrate to the world we understand the gravity of this."

Mr. Biden said the fate of Mr. Rumsfeld mattered little. "I don't care if he goes and stands on his head in the corner," he said. "It's less important what happens to him than that we demonstrate to the world that we understand the gravity of this and move on."

While most Republicans appeared to be standing with the defense secretary, concern about the effects of the scandal on the American agenda in Iraq crossed party lines.

Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, said on "The Early Show" today that the scandal "will cut directly to the core of our effectiveness" in ensuring a transition of power in Iraq to a sovereign government, scheduled for June 30. "The purpose of America, our motivations, cannot be questioned," he said.

Though Senator Hagel did not call for the removal of Mr. Rumsfeld, who apologized for the prisoner abuse at hearings on both sides of Capitol HIll on Friday, the senator did say that the abuse of prisoners "is an awesome issue that we need to deal with publicly and quickly and move on," adding, "We have a large, large agenda of great international challenges out there that only America can lead with."

The Bush administration is bracing for the expected release of more gruesome photos and inflammatory details of the prisoner abuse.

The New Yorker magazine published a photograph this weekend showing American guards holding large dogs flanking a naked and cringing Iraqi prisoner.

Senator John W. Warner, Republican of Virginia and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has said that the Pentagon will soon give Congress new abuse photos, which legislators will be allowed to view in private.

At least seven people have been criminally charged and six military personnel have been reprimanded in connection with the scandal. As many as 30 investigations are now under way, Senator Hagel said.

We are continually improving the quality of our text archives. Please send feedback, error reports,
and suggestions to archive_feedback@nytimes.com.

A version of this article appears in print on May 10, 2004 of the National edition with the headline: Bush Issues Strong Endorsement of Rumsfeld in Visit to Pentagon. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe